Strategies for the Integration

Strategies for the Integration

of

Science, Reading and Writing

Wallingford Public Schools

Wallingford, Connecticut

Examples of Process Skills Related to

Science and Language Skills

Process Skills / Science Skills / Language Skills
Observing / Using one or more of the five senses to gather information / Discriminating shapes, sounds, syllables, and word accents.
Predicting / Forming an idea of an expected result. Depends on observation and judgment that is based on past experience.
Validation is based on current observation. / Forming an idea of an expected event or outcome through observation and judgment based on past experience.
Validation is based on current observations.
Collecting Data / Measuring and recording information in an organized way.
Being precise and accurate. / Taking notes.
Using reference materials.
Using different parts of a book.
Recording information in an organized way.
Being precise and accurate.
Investigating / Using observation to collect and analyze data to draw a conclusion and solve a problem. / Asking questions.
Investigating possible relationships.
Following organized procedures.
Interpreting Data / Reading tables, graphs, and diagrams. Explaining the information presented and using it to answer a question. / Recognizing cause and effect relationships. Organizing facts, summarizing new information, thinking inductively and deductively.
Classifying / Grouping or ordering objects or events according to an established scheme based on observations. / Comparing and contrasting characteristics.
Arranging ideas, ordering, and sequencing information.
Considering multiple attributes.
Forming Conclusions / Generalizing
Critical analysis
Establishing relationships
Using information in other situations / Generalizing
Critical analysis
Identifying main ideas
Establishing relationships
Using information in other situations
Communicating Results / Giving or exchanging information orally and/or in writing. / Arranging information logically
Sequencing ideas
Describing clearly

Process Skills Across the Curriculum

Science / Reading / Math / Social Studies
Classifying / Comparing and contrasting characteristics / Sorting and sequencing / Comparing ideas
Collecting data / Taking notes / Collecting data / Collecting data
Interpreting data / Organizing facts, recognizing cause and effect / Analyzing / Interpreting data
Communicating results / Logically arranging information / Graphing, constructing tables / Making maps
Predicting / Predicting / Predicting / Predicting

Ways to Enlarge Prior Knowledge

Select non-fiction books and magazine articles to read aloud. You do not have to read the entire book. Select portions to read aloud that will stimulate interest or that relate to the topic you are studying.

Look at and discuss photographs and illustrations

Bring in material to touch and talk about.

“Scaffold new information about a topic to “stretch” the learner while connecting to what they do know.

Act out new thoughts or concepts.

Keep the learning area “print-rich” with printed material, labels, word walls, word banks, and directions.

What:A special kind of writing that lets you use the act of writing itself to discover what you already know. It works only if you write without planning and without looking back.

When:To solidify an impression or your thoughts about any subject before, during, or after a learning experience.

Why:It is a special type of writing that surfaces internal discoveries to provide insight into your own thinking. Writing clarifies thinking.

How:Write breathlessly/recklessly/passionately and without worrying about spelling and punctuation, until fingers are tired or for a given amount of time (i.e., 2 or 3 minutes). Write anything that you can think of about the topic. If you reach a point where you can’t think of anything to write, repeat the last word until something new comes to mind. Don’t worry about punctuation, spelling, or grammar…..just write!

The K-W-L teaching strategy is a good method to help students activate prior knowledge. After completing the Learn section, have students return to the Know section to confirm or revise what they knew or thought they knew. This is particularly important in helping students with misconceptions.

Know (or what I think I know) / Wonder / Learn

Frayer Model

What is it?

Word Sorts (Gillett & Temple, 1983) help students recognize the semantic relationships among key concepts. Students are asked to sort vocabulary terms into two different categories. The strategy can be used in two different ways. In a “closed sort”, the teacher provides the categories into which students are to assign words. In an “open sort”, students group words into categories and identify their own labels for each category. Word sorts help students develop a deeper understanding of key concepts, and also are an excellent method of teaching the complex reasoning skills of classification and deduction.

How to use it:

1. Students copy vocabulary terms onto 3” x 5” cards, one word per card.
2. Individually or in groups, students then sort the words into categories. With younger students or complex concepts, the teacher should provide students the categories and have students complete a “closed sort.”
3. As students become more proficient at classifying, teachers should them ask them to complete “open sorts”; that is, students sort words into labeled categories of their own making. At this stage, students should be encouraged to find more than one way to classify the vocabulary terms. Classifying and then reclassifying helps student extend and refine their understanding of the concepts studied.

What is Think Aloud?

Think Aloud is a teaching strategy that makes the invisible thinking process of reading and the problem solving visible. It is an attempt on the part of the teacher to model the thinking process that good readers/problem solvers engage in.

Think Aloud can be used at any grade level in any subject area. It can be used in place of the teacher giving directions and explanations. It lets students, especially less able students, in on the secrets of how good readers and problems solvers do things.

Think Aloud as a Reading Comprehension Strategy

The teacher selects a passage to read aloud that contains points of difficulty, contradictions, ambiguities, unknown words, etc. As the teacher reads the passage aloud, students follow along silently. During the reading, the teacher chooses specific instances when strategies are being used and THINKS ALOUD as she/he models these strategies for students. Some THINK ALOUD strategies might include:

Making predictions-“I think this is a description of a computer game.:

Describing pictures being formed mentally- “I have in my mind a picture of a car on a dark, probably narrow, country road.”

Linking prior knowledge to new information in the text- “This is like a time we had a flat tire on the way to Boston.”

Verbalizing confusing points- “This just doesn’t make sense.” “I don’t know what that word means.”

Demonstrating fix-up strategies- “Maybe I’ll reread to see if I can figure it out.” “I’ll skip the word, it seems to make sense without it.”

Additional strategies that can be modeled include:

Before starting, looking at pictures and title and making predictions about the text.

Verifying/changing predictions

Guessing the meaning of words

Summarizing

Not deciding right away

Expressing your opinions and reactions

Getting your emotions involved

To assist your students in being able to use the comprehension strategies as they read, consider the following:

• Ask your student what kinds of things you did as you were reading. Make a list on the chalkboard.
• Use the list on the chalkboard to make a printed list the students can use the next time to check the things you were doing.
• Discuss the things that were checked by the students. Ask if you did some things more than once.
• Ask the students to read aloud in pairs and try a think aloud. One student should listen for strategies. Talk about the strategies that were used.
• Have students do a “think write”. In the margins, or on sticky notes, have students record their thinking strategies along side the text.

Think Aloud as a Reading-in-the-Content-Area Strategy

Think Aloud for Science, Social Studies, etc. is very similar to the process described for reading instruction. The modeling and thinking aloud are very important as a substitute for simply giving instructions to studentsor assuming that they will remember strategies because they have been previously taught. Remember—Think Aloud lets students in on the secrets of how good readers and problem solvers do things.

Some Think Aloud strategies for reading-in-the-content-areas might include:

Many of the general reading strategies already described

Predicting from the title and section headings

Looking at pictures and reading the explanations

Looking at maps, graphs, and charts

Going to the end of the section before starting and looking over the vocabulary and questions. This will help in setting a purpose for reading.

Looking for italicized and bold words

Making notes as you read

Children make inferences in daily life. Help make students aware of how much they draw conclusions on the talk and actions of others.

Mini-dramas build a bridge between inferences children make each day and inferences they can make from books and investigations. Create situations that students can dramatize for the class, and then invite the audience to infer and draw conclusions. The partial list of possible situations below can be used as mini-dramas that allow students to observe and discover a range of possible inferences or implied meanings. Make these statements to student, and then ask what inferences they’d draw if:

A student yawns several times.

Two students pass notes to one another.

A student falls asleep.

One student takes a pen from a classmate’s desk.

Two students argue over who gets the soccer ball.

A group of students copies homework from one student.

Three students leave the room without permission.

A student returns from recess crying.

Two students left all their books at home.

Daily school event will provide you with dozens of other situations. Once children demonstrate an ease with expressing implied meanings during mini-dramas, move them to literature and investigations.

Double entry journals can help students retell content area information. Students set up their journal so that the left hand side is for a diagram, pictures, map, or chart; the right hand side is for retelling. For example, a labeled diagram of the heart on the left-hand side becomes a guide for explaining how the heart pumps blood to the lungs and the body. Such retellings make excellent study guides for tests and quizzes.

On the wall put up A-Z charts where vocabulary words that are learned for the science subject are recorded under the alphabet letter that is the first letter of the word.

Starter # 1

Put up a picture that has to do with something you are going to study in science, and have the students list “Observation Descriptive” words or sentences about the picture.

Starter # 2

Give each child a different picture of the same subject. (i.e. various cats) Have students write a description of their picture. Then post all the pictures and read each students description. See if the class can guess which picture is being described.

Organizational Structure of Informational Text

There are several common patterns of expository or informational text. Teach students the organizational pattern and the common word clues that will help identify the structure.

Text Pattern / Word Clues / Prompt starters
Listing / topic titles
labels
groupings / Select a topic and brainstorm words related to that topic. Organize or classify those words to show how they relate to your topic.
Cause and Effect / as a result of
because
if
since
then
therefore
yet
caused
consequently
this led to
so that
reasons
why / Choose an event, situation, or happening. Explain why something happened. What was the beginning event and the ending effect.
Problem and Solution / the problem is
the solution is
consequently
however / Clearly state and describe a problem. Offer possible solutions, giving evidence to support your answer.
Compare and Contrast / the ____ is like ____
unlike
although
similar(ly)
difference
contrast
compare
however
but
on the other hand
in contrast
more than/less than
on the contrary
but/yet / Choose a topic to compare and contrast. Clearly state their similarities and differences. Give details to support what you are comparing.
Descriptive / Words that give a(n):
-visual image
-idea of what it smells or feels like
it is…
as ____ as ____
like a
for instance
to begin with
also
in fact
for example
in addition
characteristics of / Choose a topic. Write about that topic including details so that the reader gets a sensory image.
Question and Answer / what?
where?
when?
who?
why?
how?
the answer is…
the question is… / Pose a question. Offer probable or possible answers. Give supporting details to support your answers.
Time Order-Sequence / next
finally/last
then
step 1, 2, etc.
first, second, etc.
how to
not long after
now
before/after
as
when
began / Pick a subject or topic. Determine what the order of events will be. Give the needed details for each step. End with a brief conclusion.

Purpose: This strategy helps reader reflect and glean important information and deepen understanding through questioning.

Procedures:

1. Read an informational text.
2. Write down any facts that you learned, questions you have, or reactions on a sticky note.
3. Make a three column chart, labeled Facts, Questions, Reactions and put the sticky notes into the columns.
4. Reflect on the questions. Were some of them answered in the text? In your head? Or do you need to do further research or investigations?

Frayer Model

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